News
Community Foundation for Surrey celebrates £1 million awarded
Community Foundation for Surrey is celebrating awarding grants totalling £1 million to support voluntary and community groups across Surrey since it was established 3.5 years ago. Grants have supported projects across the width of community need including facilities for young people, children in need, reducing isolation for older people, improving community facilities and projects for disabled people. Grants have ranged from a few hundred pounds to over £10,000 and all have made a difference to the quality of people's lives in Surrey.
A grant of £5,000 from the Grassroots Grants programme to the Old Dean Community Group in Camberley to support their Advice Centre for local residents took the total awarded to £1 million. The centre provides advice on employment, disability and money management and provides training in computing as well as access to the internet.
Professor Patrick Dowling, Chair, Community Foundation for Surrey said, 'Community Foundation for Surrey was established in September 2005 to raise the level of giving throughout Surrey and to build permanent community funds to support local needs. We started with nothing and are very proud of our achievements over the first 31/2 years, awarding £1m to over 330 community groups across Surrey who make such a difference to people's lives. None of this could have been achieved without the kind generosity from local people, families and companies who want to give something back locally'.
Wendy Varcoe, Executive Director of Community Foundation for Surrey said 'For people who would like to support their own local communities, there is no better time. Community Foundation for Surrey is able to match on a pound for pound basis from the Grassroots scheme all new permanent funds donated to support local communities, making this a very effective way to meet local needs in Surrey. For example: a £100 donation with gift aid becomes £128 which can then benefit from a Grassroots match of £128 resulting in a donation for local communities of £256.'